


I'd Document Every Day I Spent with You

by Lilyliegh



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Fluff, M/M, ygotp2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 20:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8815933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilyliegh/pseuds/Lilyliegh
Summary: Shark agrees to accompany Yuuma for a photography contest that goes as splendidly as any plan of Yuuma's ... which is to say an embarrassing, albeit sweet disaster.





	

_“Where_ are we going?”

“A road trip!”

Shark sighs. “Not what, _where_.”

Yuuma shrugs and adjusts the straps on his backpack. “Not sure yet, but look at this! Dad told me about this – this _thing_ – and we’ve just gotta try it out!”

The thing in question is a print-out advertisement for a contest called “Flat Stanley”. It’s written in English so Shark can’t read much of it, but from the lengthy descriptions Yuuma’s given him for the entire day, it appears that Flat Stanley is a type of photography contest where contestants take pictures of a paper doll posing around famous monuments. This then begs the question ‘how are we – you and me, Yuuma, because I don’t want anyone else agreeing to this – supposed to get photos if we can’t even travel across the country?’

The answer is simple for Yuuma: “We travel in the Emperor’s Key.”

A beat. “That won’t work,” Shark growls. “That worked once, and now you don’t have the Key anymore.”

“Well then we’ll just go on a plane then.”

Shark tries to imagine him and Yuuma – fifteen and fourteen years old, respectively – purchasing a plane ticket to who know’s where, boarding the plane, travelling, travelling back, all without minor hassle. It won’t happen, Shark realises. They might miss the plane, or get lost; Shark doesn’t like feeling helpless, and it’s even worse when Yuuma pretends they _aren’t_ lost and _aren’t_ helpless. Plus who knows what kind of danger exists out there. Shark isn’t scared for himself – after all, he was once a fearsome king – but Yuuma still has that overwhelming kindness and compassion that seems to attract no-good criminals. The last thing Shark needs on his vacation is to be fighting for his life; he’s already done that before.

“Or, Shark, we could go on a boat … like a cruise! And then we could take Stanley out on the water and take all sorts of pictures of him in the water.”

It’s not as if Shark has others things to do this weekend. He doesn’t do his homework anyways – doesn’t have time or will – and his sister doesn’t need him for anything. The Barians living in his house should be doing their own things too and not demanding favours from him.  He and Kaito don’t bother each other unless they desperately need something, and even then it’s with begrudging reluctance, like they were both each other’s last options. So really, Shark has the weekend free and he can afford to waste it going on Yuuma’s trip.

“You can’t put that thing in the water. He’ll get wet and break.” Then, shoving his hands in his pockets to appear casual, Shark adds, “If you want to take it anywhere, you should go to all your favourite places. That way everyone can see what you like to do.”

His comment makes Yuuma’s eyes glow; Shark can see them widen in surprise, then crinkle in admiration. “That’s the best idea ever, Shark! You should come with me!”

He really should, but Shark stiffens at admitting that yes, he did want to go. “I wasn’t suggesting I come along –”

“But it would be so much fun!” Yuuma interrupts. “Even better, both of us go to our favourite spots! We could make a photo album of it: The Amazing Adventures of Shark and Yuuma. We can stick to all the places we like to visit, like how you like to go aquarium and I like to go to the boardwalk –”

Blushing, Shark stammers, “That’s not my favourite place to go.”

Yuuma doesn’t seem to notice Shark’s uncomfortable, or if he does he doesn’t act upon it. “Really? Where is it then?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Shark snaps. “We should just go to all your favourite places, ignore mine, and be done with this. Besides, this right here” – he shakes the picture for emphasis – “is a contest, which means there’s a prize. All of your favourite places are bound to be good locations for pictures, so make sure we find the best ones.”

“Let’s do it then, Shark! Let’s go on the best trip ever!”

Yuuma takes him back to his house because the Tsukumo house has maps and tour guides and other travelling paraphernalia, whereas Shark’s house has six other people inside all with mixed relationships with Yuuma. Yuuma explains that his father has collected hundreds of pamphlets from around Heartland for the sole purpose of collecting; his hobby becomes slightly more relevant when Shark and Yuuma pour over them looking for interesting landmarks. Yuuma explains to him that he already knows hundreds of cool places to visit, but if they’re going to make a public album of their travels, he wants to capture Stanley in the best of places.

Some names go on their list immediately: the boardwalk, the school, and the park are all beautiful locations. Shark suggests Heartland because of the bubblegum-coloured lights, and Yuuma suggests Heartland Tower because maybe Kaito will want to come along too. Shark knows the answer to this one: “No, I don’t have time to play photographer in Domino.” That’s fine with him; he doesn’t need anyone else tagging along and making snarky remarks on this trip.

“How about our houses?” Yuuma says as he’s perusing through a grocery store flyer. Somehow, Yuuma considers this relevant to his research.

“Wouldn’t that be a bit creepy? You’re going to make it public and show everyone where your house is?”

“Well no because they wouldn’t see the outside of the house. I mean somewhere inside the house, like a bedroom or living room.” Yuuma pauses. “We should take our first picture in here to mark the journey.” Before Shark can argue where exactly Yuuma plans to take a picture in the attic – this place is a _mess_ – Shark is pulled roughly from the bed and dragged up to a makeshift shrine that has pictures of Yuuma’s friends and family, precious memorabilia from his father’s travels, and several handdrawn pictures of Astral. “This looks like a good spot for a photo.”

Shark has yet to see why he is standing here. “Yuuma, you’re supposed to take a picture of Stanley, not of us.”

“Well I want a picture of _all_ of us.” Yuuma sets the camera up on a ledge, starts the timer, and dashes back to Shark. He mustn't have set the timer for long because Yuuma tumbles into the photo just as Shark is blinded by the flash. The end result is a photo of Shark catching Yuuma before he falls into a box in his room, Flat Stanley crinkled in Yuuma’s hands. It’s not the best photo by any means since neither of them are looking at the camera, and the lighting in the room makes it so that Stanley is hidden by shadows while Yuuma and Shark appear to have been caught in an ethereal glow.

It’s a gorgeous photo, but Stanley isn’t in it.

“Maybe we didn’t need the flash,” Yuuma says with a laugh, holding the polaroid up for both of them to see. “You can’t really see Stanley in this …”

“You can just prop the doll up on the crates and we’ll take a picture. We don’t need to be in it.”

Yuuma looks affronted. “Of course we have to be in it, Shark! How else will everyone know that we took the picture?”

“Because it will be in your album?”

“What matters is _who’s_ in it though, and I want both of us to be in it.” Shaking the polaroid again, Yuuma says, “This will be our very first photo! Now, where should we go next …”

Shark wants to suggest somewhere close like the nearby park, or somewhere where no one will catch them like the forest adjacent to the park, but Yuuma chooses something far out from his home and somewhere where Shark will surely be seen by dozens of people posing with Yuuma and a hand drawn doll: Heartland City. Of all the places Yuuma could choose to visit, Shark thinks Heartland City is the most exposed, busy location ever (even if he had suggested it earlier). They won’t have to worry about lighting because the city glows neon 24/7, yet the chances of Shark and Yuuma taking a picture without catching a passerby are slim to none.

But before they even get to Heartland Yuuma is snapping photos, mostly of Shark and the doll, and some with all three of them.

“I don’t think we’re supposed to be in the picture,” Shark says again. “In all the photos I’ve seen, you hold the doll up by itself and take the photo.”

“I want all of us in the photo,” Yuuma insists, and he snaps another photo of Shark pouting at Stanley for good measure. “Besides, I’m not going to use _all_ of these photos – just my favourites of us!”

Shark feels his face heat up at the compliment. “Well you can’t post them until I see them first, got it? I don’t need you fueling Vector’s dark wishes to photoshop my face in every sea-relevant photo.”

Yuuma doesn’t seem to catch the implications of how deadly this could be – Shark will _kill_ Vector the next time his selfies are used to promote sealife conservation – and continues to snap and flip through photos. The camera Yuuma’s brought along isn’t even high tech; when he realised he couldn’t take his dad’s special camera with him because his sister told him he might break it, Yuuma was forced to take his phone along with him. Thus, Yuuma has figured out the magic of front-facing cameras and taken a half-dozen selfies on the phone of him and Stanley, each with a ridiculous expression.

When they get off the train, Yuuma bolts out the door and down the steps to the sidewalk. Heartland is sugary and bright with its pastels and neons contrasting at every corner of the streets. The locals here are dressed in ostentatiously paired outfits with gravity-defying angles and styles, and this is a remark coming from Shark who knows his jacket and shoes are bedazzled. Thankfully, Yuuma in his bright t-shirt with only one sleeve, cargo pants with pockets and pouches and _flames running up the sides_ , fits right into the fashion disaster.

“Shark! Shark! Look at this! Don’t you think Stanley would look good pinned up there?” Yuuma points to a set of three duel monsters figures – Hope, Shark Drake, and Galaxy Eyes; Kaito really did make a statue to commemorate their collective win, even though Galaxy Eyes is bigger than both of the other statues and standing in the front like the prissy leader Kaito is. “We should get a photo here, don’t you think? This is Kaito’s, right?”

“Yeah – wait, I don’t need to be in this one too!” But his words go unheard by Yuuma who drags him in front of the three statues, Stanley clasped in his hands. Because of the front-facing camera, there’s no need to fiddle with the timer. Yuuma holds the phone in front of them, angled up so the duel monster’s heads aren’t cut off in the photograph, and snaps the camera without giving Shark any warning. Somehow, the photograph manages to catch him smile.

“You smiled in this one too! Your sister says you never smile in photographs.”

Shark shrugs. Rio tends to catch him at the most inopportune times for photographs: falling up the stairs, burning food, sleeping. Somehow, these same photos make it into Vector’s hands too …

“You should think more carefully about what photos you want, or else you’re going to fill up all the storage on your phone.”

“I have tons of space,” Yuuma says, waving the phone in question. “We don’t have to worry about that! And besides, you said you wanted to pick out your favourites, so I’ve gotta make sure I take lots of photos for you to choose from.” On cue, Yuuma snaps another photo of Shark and Stanley.

“We should just take the photos and get over with it,” Shark growls. Yuuma nods enthusiastically and takes off down the street.

The next few places they visit are hot-spots for what Shark considers embarrassing moments. Yuuma assures him that it’s not strange at all to take pictures in front of people’s houses, and thus that is a good reason to pose in front of Kaito’s door, but then Haruto opens just as they are fiddling with the camera. Yuuma explains that they’re taking pictures for the Flat Stanley contest, holding the offended doll out for Haruto to see. Haruto seems excited by it, but Kaito shows up and Shark nearly shoves a two-by-four down the other boy’s throat for daring to suggest this is a date.

“No, this isn’t a date!” Yuuma assures Kaito. “We’re just going to win this contest, and then Shark and I will have to think of how we’re going to spend the prize money together.”

It is far more embarrassing to hear those words in the presence of Kaito, Shark realises. “You can keep the prize money for yourself,” Shark says.

“But we’re doing this together,” Yuuma argues.

“I don’t want it. Besides, it’s not even a big prize.”

Yuuma huffs, but lets it drop for the sake of Kaito going back inside and slamming the door in their faces with a mutter of, “Have fun on your date. Get off my porch.”

Nonetheless, Yuuma doesn’t take the cue to not visit houses, for the next place Shark finds himself is before his own house on the outskirts of Heartland City. In truth, Shark had recognised exactly where Yuuma was leading him the moment they left the city centre and took the main boulevard up to Shark’s house. The familiar shops and roads were alerts to whatever madness could happen when they arrived. The best case scenario, Shark muses, is that no one will answer the door; the next best is that Rio or Durbe answers because they’ll speak kindly to Yuuma, treat him as an equal, and not act like awkward doofuses. Yet Shark knows that those two have left the house already, and thus it is far too likely that whoever answers the door will be –

“ _Yuuma-kun~”_

Vector. When he and Rio had opened their doors to the Barian Emperors, it had been Rio who had led Vector back into the house with a firm remark to Shark: “We have all grown up and changed. We all deserve second chances. Let him have his.” In truth, Vector has been nothing but a nuisance since then: while not gleefully murderous, he still possesses a knack for mischief and manipulation that drives Shark – and the other six Barians – up the wall with his antics. Shark is surprised no one, including himself, has kicked Vector out yet. However, here he stands, in the flesh, in bunny pyjamas and messy hair drinking a fancy latte out of a margarita glass.

“Good morning, Vector!” Yuuma greets.

“Move,” Shark says, pushing past Vector and dragging Yuuma into the house. Since Shark left this morning, it appears not a single one of his housemates has bothered to do anything: the dishes pile up in the sink, blankets are strewn around the couch, _both_ TVs are running despite no one watching them. However, the house is blissfully silent –

“Where is everyone?” Yuuma asks, checking several of the rooms.

“Out,” Vector says. He swirls the creamy latte with a lazy flick of his wrist before taking a deep gulp. “Everyone left me this morning, no note or anything. How rude of them, Yuuma-kun! Even Nasch here left before I was up –”

“It’s midday, Vector. You should’ve been up earlier.”

Vector shrugs. “I like my beauty sleep.” He goes to take another sip of his drink when his eyes lock on the paper doll in Yuuma’s hands. “Oh, what’s this?” he asks, snatching Flat Stanley before Yuuma can pull back or Shark can slap his housemate’s hands away.

“That’s Flat Stanley!” Yuuma says. When Vector gives him a boresome, confused glance, Yuuma adds, “It’s a paper doll that you take to special places and take pictures of. Shark and I have already been to lots of places, and I thought we could go here because it’s Shark’s home and that makes it special.”

Vector twirls the paper between his fingers, grinning. Shark attempts to rip it from his fingers, but Vector holds it away. “Ah-ah, _Nasch_ ~ Ask before you grab. And where do you think you’re going to take a picture here? Everyone leaves this place in such a dump. I doubt you’ll be able to find a decent place anywhere around here.” A pause. “Maybe Nasch would like a picture in his bedroom”

If there’s one person who can get under Shark’s skin, it’s Vector. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Shark snarls, nearly strangling Vector who’s stroking Stanley like the doll is a cat. “If there’s anyone to blame for the state of this house, it’s you! When’s the last time you ever lifted a finger and cleaned something?”

The grin is audible. “Two days ago.”

Shark is not amused. “Get out, Vector.”

“But Shark, shouldn’t we get a picture of Vector with Stanley? We can have a picture at your house too, but wouldn’t it be so nice to have pictures of Stanley with all our friends?”

Shark opens his mouth to point out that no, that is a terrible idea and how of all their friends Yuuma’s chosen Vector to be the candidate, but then Yuuma unlocks his phone and opens the gallery to show both him and Vector the pictures of Yuuma and Shark together, and Yuuma and Haruto – _when did this even get taken?!_ – and finally the pictures of Kaito and Shark arguing on the front step about Flat Stanley, which Shark remembers but does not remember Yuuma holding the camera. “H-how did you even get these?!”

“I want pictures with our friends,” Yuuma says. “Now stand close – Stanley needs a picture with all of us!”

There is no arguing with Yuuma at this point. Shark shuffles towards Yuuma who grips him round the waist and tugs him so that they are hip-to-hip. On Yuuma’s other side is Vector, who leans _way_ too close and rests his bedhead hair against Yuuma’s shoulder. Yuuma insists on holding Flat Stanley, so Shark takes the photo; Vector suggests they use filters because Nasch’s hair is contrasting with everything, to which Shark replies the Vector in his bunny pyjamas can kindly fuck off from this photo. However, by a miracle all of them fit in the photo and stay in the photo, and Yuuma gets his snapshot of his best friends together.

Shark’s not even going to comment on Vector’s bunny ears behind Shark’s head. Not today.

Yuuma doesn’t get his photo of Shark’s bedroom though because Shark drags him out of the house before that suggestion can even be _thought of_ ; with a wave from Yuuma and a flip-off from Shark, they leave Vector in the house and take to the streets again. There is a deep, permanent blush on Shark’s face now that doesn’t seem to disappear even in the chilly temperatures. Thankfully, Yuuma is content to snap selfies of him and Stanley in front of small shops along the main boardwalk. How someone can be so self-confident and hopeful and _pure_ is a mystery to Shark.

Three-quarters down the street Shark sees the local café. The shop owners have gotten to know Shark and his “family” quite well. Shark and Rio visit the café weekly for a hot drink on their walks to school. Mizael and Durbe are well-known regulars who come at _least_ once a day, though their orders are polar opposites: Durbe takes coffee, small, black; Mizael drinks the same fancy lattes as Vector (though neither will admit they had similar tastes in _anything_ ), topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Gilag and Alit come here for the breakfasts and lunches that they forget to make every morning. Vector gets the same as Mizael, only _better_ because the baristas never spell his name wrong.

The café is thankfully quiet. The warm wood accents give off an earthy, rustic feel that makes Shark feel at home. He orders two hot chocolates, one with whipped cream and sprinkles for Yuuma and one plain for him, and brings them to a table towards the back of the store. Yuuma then insists they take photos of Stanley with their hot chocolates, and Shark agrees only because he’s can’t argue with Yuuma. It could be worse –

At the top of Yuuma’s phone, there is a box. Shark doesn’t recognise it at first – is an app trying to update? – but then it he does, and it’s with mounting horror that Shark realises that Yuuma has _Instagram_ open, and Yuuma’s been using Instagram all day, and –

“What is this?” Shark says, shoving the phone over the table at Yuuma.

Yuuma peers at the phone screen, where the Instagram bubble is glowing softly. Underneath the app are several messages:

_LittleBird has commented on your photo: What a cute idea!_

_Umbral_Edgelord has commented on your photo: What a cute DATE! (;_

_TheTrueGalaxyEyesMaster has commented on your photo: Does Ryouga know about this?_

Well, Shark knows now. He opens the app to see just _what_ everyone is commenting about. Naturally, it’s a picture of him and Yuuma – one of the first photos, in fact, when they were in Heartland and the strobe-lights were behind them in eye-popping blues and greens. Shark is embarrassed to admit that Yuuma is good at Instagram: his filters don’t detract from the naturalness of the photo, and while it’s clear some editing has been done, the overall image appears quite professional.

“You – you posted these?” Shark says. He’s not angry, though he wishes he was.

“That’s part of the contest, Shark! Flat Stanley is something you have to share with others, and so this way everyone can see where we’ve been today.” Yuuma takes a large gulp of his hot chocolate and winces when it burns his tongue. “And look – everyone loves it!”

Everyone loves it, all right. Shark can already imagine Vector away at his computer photoshopping and tagging all these photos with ridiculous memes and puns, and maybe even sappy friendship quotes because that’s just how tasteless the Barian Emperor can be. Kaito’s probably laughing away at this like it’s a scientific breakthrough: awkward angsty teen taken out on date by an angel and somehow enjoyed himself?!

“Everyone’s seen it all right,” Shark mutters into his drink.

If Yuuma does sense Shark’s melancholic attitude, his response isn’t out of pity: “Isn’t that the greatest though? I can’t think of anyone else who I’d want to spend today with, and now I’ve got evidence to prove it –”

“What?”

Yuuma pauses. “What _what_?”

“What you said before,” Shark says, but then counters it with, “Nevermind.”

“You know,” Yuuma says, looking into his drink with a small smile, “I don’t think anyone else would have gone everywhere with me without making a detour. No one else would’ve just gone with me without making other plans first. You spent the whole day with me, Shark. Thanks.”

Shark doesn’t know how to respond to _that_ , so he settles for looking away and fiddling with the gems on his sleeves.

“We should do this more,” Yuuma continues, “only this time I follow _you_ wherever you go, no questions or comments from me. Or, at least not many.” He laughs, a cheery, albeit boisterous sound that fills the empty café.

“Why are you getting all sentimental?” Shark growls.

“Senti – ah, no, I’m just thinking about it, about how you following me around and making snarky comments, and … Yeah. About that.” Yuuma fiddles with the camera, opens and closes two apps that Shark’s never heard of before. “We should take one more picture to celebrate.”

Shark raises an eyebrow. “Why?”

Yuuma stands, then drags Shark to his feet with him. Then Yuuma pulls Shark close, chest to chest; Shark’s taller and his torso is longer, so Yuuma’s already ruined the photo if he hopes this won’t look like a dorky photo with Yuuma stretching on his tiptoes and Shark looming down so they can appear at the same height. This photo will probably go on Instagram too. Rio will tease him mercilessly about how cute this looks; Alit will give him an ominous, all-knowing thumbs-up. Maybe Durbe will say something about how he, Nasch, has found his special something again. Vector will photoshop Yuuma as a Shark and twist this picture into some sick fantasy.

“I’d go anywhere with you, Shark,” Yuuma says, and snaps the photo before Shark can say or do anything. For once, Shark keeps his mouth closed, if only to keep Yuuma smiling for a bit longer.

* * *

The next day, there are a stack of handmade, photoshopped greeting cards of him and Yuuma together before a backdrop of what appears to be SeaWorld. However, Shark presumes there are no sharks tied up to Poseidon’s chariot, nor are there volcanoes spewing lava anywhere near an amusement park. _Just hitched in the deep sea_ , is written in loopy cursive underneath. Flat Stanley, while having been cut out to make room for the hitched sharks, sits at the bottom of the corner as a gentle, persistent, _embarrassing_ reminder of why pictures of him – and especially of him and Yuuma – should not be on social media.

Shark can only hope Vector didn’t mail these to Yuuma too.


End file.
